Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-11-04
GASOLINE EXPLOSION.
NINE PEOPLE KILLED AND TWO
WOUNDED AT PlTTSBURG.
Several Buildings Destroyed -. with the
Victims Buried Beneath the Walls
The Cause Unknown-Heart-
rending scenes.

ST. LOUIS, Nov. IA terrible gasoline
explosion occurred about 230 O'Clock this
morning in the grocery store OF Michael
Newman on South 14th street. The gro
Gerry and two adjoining brick buildings
we're almost demolished. and 10 persons,
including the wife and five children of
Newman, and two families living in the
adjoining houses, We're buried in the
ruins 1t is not known how many per-
sons are killed, it is believed "A dozen or
more lives were lost The cause of the
explosion is not known. a flash followed
by dull roar, and then the crash of walls
convulsed the centre of this city. The
olatter that followed carried the rumor of
The calamity that had befallen three fami-
lies while wrapped in slumber. An explo-
sion of gasoline in the rear of the cellar of
Michael Newman's grocery store, No. 13
South Fourteenth street, lifted the two
story building from its foundation and it
then dropped again in mass, beneath
which were buried II persons.
The fire swept through the ruins imme-
liately. Aid was quickly on the scene,
but there was such confusion that the hor-
ror seemed to increase with the efforts to
relieve the imprisoned victims. The peo.
pie of the neighborhood rushed bout the
streets seeking friends and many were suf-
fering from bruises. The heat baffled the
fremen for time and the flames threat.
ened to spread to the adjoining property,
Dutthey were finally got under control The
store was on the corner OF the alley running
through from 14th to Targee street, and
was the north room of the building, COW
ering numbers Z, Q and IL South 18th
street The building, two story brick, was
completed but short time ago and only
one store room was occupied. All of the
up stairs portion was occupied by tenants.
Mr.. Newman and his family of seven lived
over the store. The force of the explosion
was terrific, the entire block Of buildings
north and across the alley from the build
ing in which the explosion took place
being Quilted by the blast. The New
man block was covered by the roof
which had settled down upon the ruins
and which formed a barrier through which
the rescuers had to cut away beams and
walls. Walls on either side threatened to
fall and to crush the gallant men who
pressed to the places where calls for help
directed them. The roof was soon re-
moved and in the debris were revealed the
mang ed forms of the grocery mans fam
.ly. Two lAdies, Mrs. Newman and daugh-
ter, were first removed. Mamie was still
olive but mangled by the timbers and
-narred by fire. She was beyond recovery.
Nellie moaned piteously for her sister and
seemed to forget her own desperate in
Juries. Neither can survive The rest of
the Newman family were dead.
The correct list of the dead and wound
ed by the explosion makes total of nine
dead, two wounded seriously. The six
others, who have lived in the building,
reported missing, have been found. Six
of the Newman family are dead. Nellie,
the only remaining member, lies in ter
rible condition, but may recover. Charles
N. Devere and wife and Mrs. Agnes Beas-
ley are dead and Mrs. Hattie Bryant badly
bruised